Tuesday, December 23, 2008

it's christmas eve eve and i'm in a state of perma-anxiety. i can't wait to open presents, spend quality time with family and friends and relax. i watched home alone, home alone 2: lost in new york, love actually, the family stone and scrooged (and that was just in the last 24 hours--pathetic). a christmas story is on for a day straight and you better believe i'll dvr it and watch it five times before the new year. even though i like the look of snow, i'm getting sick of it--particularly driving in it, but what are you going to do? nothing but enjoy this time of the year. it'll be over before you know it. before it comes to a screeching halt, i can only keep my fingers crossed that santa brings me the cc skye power ring i asked for months ago:

i love huge rings. i can't get enough of them and this one screams "wear me with your new silk ruffle front top on new years eve."

while we're on the subject of accessories, i've been obsessed lately. with everything accessory-related. i think i have spring clothes on the mind now because i can't get enough gold and turquoise like these pendants: and this one:i've always loved turquoise and the gold adds a bohemian richness to it. i've had my eye on this sharkstooth necklace for awhile, and finally caved. merry christmas danielle:

yep, so being snowed in the last couple days hasn't helped with my online shopping addiction. and the fact that i'm cutting up and not using my credit cards in 2009 has forced me to go crazy getting those last couple purchases in pre-cut up. oops. you never know what will happen come spring. i needed a couple of basics. like these looser-fitting tshirts. merry christmas danielle:who doesn't need a double layer low v-neck t shirt for spring? my turquoise necklaces will look fabulous with it! i needed a black t shirt too. so i opted for the celeb-fave kain brand pocket tee:

and what outfit wouldn't be complete without my key layering piece: the cardigan? i read good things about this brand, goddis, and had to have one. merry christmas danielle:

and why not throw this seven for all mankind ruffle cami into the spring mix too? (i did.) merry christmas danielle:

so, needless to say, i will have a very merry christmas, anticipating my spring wardrobe. and i'm going to have to be thrifty come 2009 sans credit cards. but for the time being, i don't feel an ounce of guilt making these purchases. i'm just doing my part stimulating the economy.

merry christmas everyone! before i go, get carrie underwood's style for less at fred.

Monday, December 15, 2008

christmas is a mere 10 days away and i'm in full-on holiday mode now. i've gone to a couple holiday parties, i'm meeting friends for some pre-christmas drinks this week and i'm planning outfits for christmas and new years. even though it's 5 degrees out today, i'm feeling good. fred is having their holiday party this thursday from 5-10pm in store. it is also our wine/martini night, well, i guess i should call it our non-wine/martini night now since we're off the sauce in store...but we are still having some great guests at our party. and the first 50 people to make a purchase receive a swag bag with a lot of great stuff in it, including a discount card to use on their purchase that day. and one lucky winner will have their entire purchase paid for by fred.

speaking of holiday parties, we just took part in an advertising agency's holiday party which was a ton of fun. BVK had us do all the women's clothes for their show which was held at moct. flaire provided the men's clothes. they were a fun group of people and we had a great time! check out the pics from the fashion show:

i also want to share an email i received from a fred customer that i helped before a trip she just took to vegas. tammie is a great fred customer and i love helping her pick out clothes. check this out:

"Hi Danielle!

I came into Fred's to shop for a dress that would be perfect for a Vegas trip I was heading out on for Halloween weekend. Thanks for your help that morning as I rushed in to shop hours before my flight was leaving for Vegas, lol. I got so many compliments when I wore it out - I LOVE YOUR STORE!

Attached is a photo from Vegas with the dress I bought from Fred's - I got a lot of compliments when I was wearing it!

I was also at your Black Friday sale the day after Thanksgiving, that was awesome! 40% off was an offer I couldn't miss out on! Thanks for having such a great sale!

Hope you have a great Christmas!

Tammie Figlinski"

she looks like a celeb! especially with that backdrop!

well i hope everyone is trying to get a little bit into christmas. i love that it's fairly acceptable to get a little more dressed up than normal this time of year. while i'm typically a jeans kinda girl, i love that i can wear my gold skirt, or a chiffon top and some glittery eyeshadow and people won't ask me "what's the occasion?". it's the holiday season...time to break out the extra sparkle, chiffon ruffles, strapless dresses, velvet cigarette pants, whatever it is that makes you feel special this time of the year. check out our holiday party on thursday in store at fred or keep checking out fredboutique.com --we add new items weekly!

And this week, in honor of the holiday dressing up spirit, I knocked off the chick from house (olivia wilde) and her one-shoulder dress look. happy holidays!

Tuesday, December 9, 2008

well i was on the cover of the journal sentinel last week "illegally" serving a mimosa to a customer. some lady in wauwatosa complained about wine being served in a tosa boutique and suddenly it is a major news story. see attached link:

are you kidding me? is there really nothing better to report? the media keeps pushing the recession and the flailing economy down our throats, yet does a sneaky undercover story on us serving mimosas and doughnut holes on black friday as a way to lure customers in. no, we were not told the full scope of the article beforehand. i was under the impression it was more on how busy fred was in the horrid economy. anyway, my point is, who cares? we give customers one tiny cup of wine or a tiny mimosa. we don't do it to lure them in with the intent to get everyone trashed and spend money foolishly, but rather to relax with a couple sips of wine and enjoy their shopping experience. every store in LA i went to did this, and i guess milwaukeeans aren't ready for this here even though there is a bar on every corner in this town. well it doesn't matter, because that one booze nazi in tosa has ruined this miniscule perk that we had...now we have the threat of a 10,000 fine over our heads. i just think the whole thing is a joke. enough of my rant, time to talk shopping!

well, i finished my christmas shopping yesterday! i did a big amount of it online, but had to get some gifts at a mall. i went to woodfield mall in illinois...mostly because i was invited to a private shopping event at nordstrom (my happy place). anyway, i forgot how insane malls get this time of year. the people seemed crabby everywhere. tensions mounted in the parking lot, fast walkers pushed by me in the mall walkways, people looked panicked, irritated and flat out unhappy. i wish i could pass on my happy shopping gene to everyone. i actually feel calmer the second i enter a shopping venue. be it a mall, boutique, online store..i am anxiety-free and filled with an eerie sense of calm. i do think mall shopping can be way more stressful than small boutique shopping, which is why i prefer boutiques..especially ones that hand me a glass of wine upon entering..hahaha.

oh, i know i'm jumping all over the place here, but for those of you who inquired about my new sweater, here is a picture. ok, the first picture is the original sweater i fell in love with. the $400 sweater i wanted by the brand haute hippie. (love the name! ) but come on now, can i really justify that price? no. so, the night my camel cardigan crashed and burned, i found the pic of the second cardigan online and ordered one for myself. that's me on thanksgiving in my new favorite sweater. i look weird, but the sweater looks good i think.

so, i found a sweater i loved for WAY less. i love that feeling. which is why i love my knock it off section too. i can always copy styles of the celebs at fred for so much less. if you haven't been to our online store, check it out. here's a link to my section, "danielle's faves" where each week i update my favorite items in the store:

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

i am one of those people that go gaga over the holidays. i get seriously excited when the christmas music starts playing 24/7 on the radio. it didn't even really bother me that it started on november 1st on a couple of our local radio stations. i go to the city's big tree lighting ceremony every year and freeze while i suck down a non-fat vanilla latte with extra foam along with the rest of the hardcore holiday fanatics. i watch all the cheesy holiday movies on lifetime and the hallmark channel for the hundreth time. i take a day off of work to wrap all my christmas presents (which really isn't that many--not enough to warrant a whole day off) in my current year's wrapping theme. (this year, tbd at this point)...and i buy a new flannel pj ensemble to wear during said wrapping session each year (i told you, major shopping problem). you get my point. and this week, thanksgiving week, marks the start of my favorite time of the year. i couldn't be happier.

i think it's because my cardigan that i spoke of in my last post arrived today. and it's the freaking cutest sweater EVER!!!!!! (note my excitement). i am counting the minutes until i wear it on thanksgiving day. it seriously is the best sweater i've ever owned. fit...meticulous. boho vibe...so me. life is good. i'll put a pic of me wearing it on thanksgiving in my next post. it's not camel color like i had wanted, but it's so amazing in the charcoal heather gray that i can temporarily forget about my hunt for the perfect camel color cardigan.

sidetracked...sorry...ok, back to the holidays. it's thanksgiving week. the stores are alive with discounts and sales and holiday decor. black friday is a couple days away--i'm full of thanksgiving cheer. i work black friday at 8am at fred. most people would be disgusted by this. i LOVE it! we're having a huge sale. 40% off everything in the store from 8am til 10am; 30% off from 10-noon and 20% off from noon til 10pm. i get the early morning shift....complete with mimosas and donut holes--and i couldn't be more excited! i love the early morning shoppers out at 5am looking for the best deals. i love the news coverage when you see people charging into the stores for the "hot" item of the season. my mom told me she was physically assaulted one year she went to buy me a cabbage patch kid doll when they were hard to come by...some woman took her out while she was grabbing a doll. UNBELIEVABLE! i find these rough shopping antics amusing. haha. my poor mom. fell to the ground (and wasn't really hurt) just to get me a toy. (she scored one by the way--actually i had like ten of them-spoiled only child).

so, i love battling crowds, partaking in sales, picking out gifts for my friends and family. i love thanksgiving week and knowing christmas is right around the corner. i even went so far as to buy my boyfriend a coordinating thanksgiving outfit today to match my new sweater. i'm over the top, i know. but for me the shopaholic, i feel i can justify the excess spending because it's the holidays! time to give! time to celebrate! time to spend with friends at holiday parties that require new outfits. ah, i love this time of year.

how can you resist a cute dress like the one our intern kristina is wearing here? perfect for holiday parties and festivities, she's just as cute as any one of the celebs who probably paid ten times more for their outfits. pick up this dress at fred or fredboutique.com:

that's kristina in the middle. for some reason i can't make this picture bigger but you get the drift. the dress kristina is wearing is available at fred and fredboutique.com. click here for the dress:

just specify that you want the solid purple version. the melie bianco croc clutch kristina is holding and the belt are available in store only. her purple patent shoes are available both in store and online:

Thursday, November 20, 2008

times are tough money wise, yet i haven't curtailed my shopping one bit. i'm sure i have some sort of shopping problem. some people eat when they're depressed. i shop. when i'm in a bad mood, i'll come home and surf the net. just putting something in my shopping basket online makes me a little calmer. i might not buy it, but pretending to buy it eases my stress. even going to walgreens and buying a new lipstick and lipgloss instantly makes me feel a little better. (maybelline lipstick in "chestnut" and revlon gloss in "nude lustre" are the perfect nude lip combo for me i just found out when i made that sporadic purchase the other day). i've been obsessed with finding a camel colored cardigan for years. for some reason, even i'm having a hard time tracking one down that i love.

we had a shopping party at fred last week and one of the guests had on the cutest long cardigan, camel color...i was smitten. i probably freaked her out by staring at it for so long because after my line of questioning about where i could find that gem of a cardigan, she encouraged me to just try it on. so there i was, hard at work, hosting the shopping party by trying on a customer's sweater...i couldn't stop thinking about it, so i tracked it down the next day. it was WAY out of my price range, so i paid for it by rationing the total on three different credit cards (hello, shopping problem) and it arrived on my doorstep last night. i feverishly opened the box and pulled out my new camel colored cardigan. i was so excited. i was going to wear it with my skinny jeans, patent leather riding boots and my black newsboy hat. i had the outfit perfectly planned out in my head. i put on the sweater that was equivalent to my monthly car payment and looked in the mirror. i looked silly. the sweater was nothing like i remembered it on the customer. or myself. it was too big. too long for someone my height. and probably too expensive. although i somehow could justify the price. i showed my boyfriend and he said, "is it supposed to be oversized?" ugh. he probably saw my eyes well up with tears, because he said it looked cute. all i could think about for the last week was this sweater. now i had it, and i hated it. point of my story is my night was ruined--because of the sweater. i was suddenly crabby, irritated, whiny. my mood was trashed. even after a couple glasses of wine, i still felt like a spoiled child. "why couldn't that sweater look good on me?" i said out loud, two hours after i tried it on while i was eating dinner with my bf. he told me to get over it and enjoy the turkey chili. i couldn't. i had to get on the internet and find a replacement camel colored cardigan. so, i did. and i ordered it, and i'm happy again. it's a sickness. i know.

the good thing is, i work in a store where things aren't horribly priced. i never feel even an ounce of guilt when i make a purchase at fred. i get tons of compliments on everything i wear from there and it doesn't really put a dent in my wallet. fred's clothes look just like the clothes that celebs are wearing, but seriously, so much less. check this out:

these pattern printed dresses are hot right now. you can get that look, as seen on our adorable marketing intern, kristina, for next to nothing at fred and fredboutique.com. i know you hear this all the time in fashion mags, but the best way to find your personal style is to mix less expensive things with designer items, or investment items, as i call them. fred and fredboutique.com are perfect for finding those trendy, celebrity-inspired items for less and mixing them with your pricier brand name items. so that is my next style rule.

style rule #3--mix trendier less expensive items with investment pieces to create an outfit that defines your personal style. head to toe designer is boring. and when the economy is in the dumper, it's always smart to save some money here and there when you can. even i know that, and can appreciate saving some dough.

i'll leave you with another installment of my knock it off section. another example of how to get the celebrity look for less. get anne hathaway's style at fred and fredboutique.com for a fraction of the cost!

Monday, November 3, 2008

after a three-month hiatus, i am back at fred. i missed helping all my loyal customers with their fashion dilemmas, but i'm back...home again, and can't wait to pursue my career as style director for fred. i'm hoping this blog will be another tool for people to use when style help is needed. Please ask me any fashion/style related questions and i'll be happy to answer them. enjoy my knock it off section each week, where i steal the style of a celebrity and copy the look with fashions we currently have at fred and fredboutique.com. I'll also share my thoughts on trends, must haves and anything else i feel like talking about for the week!

i'm a confessed shopaholic and fall/winter is my favorite time of the year to shop. i can't seem to get enough chunky knit sweaters, new denim and boots. i love cardigans because you can layer them over dresses, wear them with leggings or skinny jeans and boots, or my signature way, longer cardigan, wide leg jeans and pointy toe boots. I can't even count how many striped cardigans i own (ok, that's a lie, but it sounded dramatic) but i can't seem to resist a striped sweater. I love this new cardigan we just got in, available at fred and at fredboutique.com. It's very kate moss or sienna miller-esque, warm (which is a requirement for me) and versatile. i'll wear it all winter. it ties around the waist too, which is a flattering fit as it defines the waist.

my look is pretty defined. most would agree my style is very bohemian. i like to throw in a little rocker chic when i see fit. it took me a long time to find my personal style, but it was worth the trip. i was the biggest tomboy growing up. i've always been interested in fashion and clothes, even when i was a huge jock, and i always had my own style. as horrid as it was. i used to wear umbro shorts and oversized tshirts in the summer, ill fitting jeans and those big handknit wool sweaters you could buy at festivals in the fall/winter. ugh. what a mess. my "collegiate/jock" look continued through high school and college and finally (and thankfully) came to an end when i started working at nine west in mayfair mall. i started to dress up more and wear sweater twinsets with skirts or black dress pants. i wore a lot of black dress pants. always fitted at the waist with a wider bottom to balance out my "thunder thighs." (as dubbed by my family--thanks for that one!). Ever since then, the mid 90s, i knew that wider leg pants/jeans were the right fit for me and i've stuck with them ever since.

STYLING RULE #1: Stick with what works for you. I know a fitted waist and wider leg style is most flattering on me, so I continue to wear this look, no matter what the trends are for the season. A flattering fit for your body type will always be in style!

ok, so anyway, i went to mount mary for fashion merchandising and my obsession with fashion really began. i started embracing dresses, and wearing things that i didn't think i could pull off like tall boots (i had athletic calves that sometimes didn't allow me to zip them up properly). i started wearing things i saw in magazines, and sometimes they worked, sometimes i looked like a fool i'm sure. but it got me to where i am today fashionwise. i know what works for me and i know what i feel most comfortable in and i continue to wear that.

STYLING RULE #2: Always buy clothes that are comfortable. I constantly try to wear heels, but my feet hurt so bad by the end of the day, i'm literally crying. It's just not worth it for me anymore. I'm short and know that heels would elongate my figure and probably make me look better. however, when my eyes are welling with tears, and i have a perma-scowl on my face from pain, i know i look ridiculous. so i'll consistently wear my flat riding boots with denim or bohemian-style dresses. If you feel comfortable in what you are wearing, it will show and you will radiate confidence.

so, i just decided to do this styling rule thing in my blog. i could keep going with more rules that i follow, but i'll just add a couple each week to keep you coming back for more!

now i want to show you this dress i'm completely in love with that we have in the store and on fredboutique.com:

it reminds me so much of the dress that molly sims chose to wear to the independent spirit awards as styled by rachel zoe and seen on the rachel zoe project.

even though rachel said no to the opaque tights, i still think it looks ok. i would have done it too, just because i'm always cold and i have the ugliest tattoo on my ankle, so the tights would conceal it.

i have to say i watched every episode of the rachel zoe project (at least three times each), but i don't think i'd consider myself a zoe-bot. her job is to die for, but i'm happy styling the midwesterners that want my help. having that amazing closet of clothes at my disposal would be bananas though! maybe someday this could be a reality for me, but for now, i'll leave you with my knock it off section and then i'll shut it down for the day! talk to you soon!

Knock it off

i found this picture of rihanna in the instyle makeover issue. this outfit can be replicated at fred and fredboutique.com for a fraction of the price! if you have a dream outfit, send it to me, or stop into fred and i'll do my best to knock it off!